The Virginia Wesleyanite
Special Announcement
April 2017
A periodic
communiqué from
Dr. Scott D. Miller,

President of Virginia Wesleyan College

Announcing Virginia Wesleyan University at a faculty and staff social on Wednesday, April 5. 
Learn more about our Methodist traditions and programs by clicking on the pictures below.
Special Announcement: From College to University
A Letter for Leaders in the Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church

Good morning,

After much careful thought and discussion, and following an extensive review and approval process, I am pleased to share that our Virginia Wesleyan College has been authorized by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to become Virginia Wesleyan University. The transition process has already begun, and our new name will take effect with the start of the 2017-2018 academic year. Since making this announcement last week, we've received much positive coverage from the local media. The news was highlighted in a Virginian-Pilot article and a video segment on WAVY-TV featured Virginia Wesleyan students.

As you can tell, our long-range planning process is moving ahead, anticipating our opportunities for growth while honoring our traditions and heritage as a United Methodist institution. Enthusiastic reaffirmation of our church-relatedness by the University Senate of the United Methodist Church, following their site visit last November, has further energized our vision and plans for the future as a campus of intellectual, social, and spiritual energy and purpose.

Virginia Wesleyan has always intended to be - and is beginning to realize the full possibilities of being - "Coastal Virginia's Premier Institution of the Liberal Arts and Sciences." Now it is time to move to the next steps in affirming our success, raising our profile, and maximizing our potential.

These adjustments in who we are and where we are have been natural outgrowths of the inevitable changes in our stature and standing as a higher-education institution of quality, dignity, and destiny. I spoke in my most recent State of the College address last August of our being at the crossroads of history. I said, "Virginia Wesleyan is indebted to those who have come before us...our founders and funders whose faith in our mission and steadfast support have brought us to this exciting crossroads in our history. Honoring their visionary leadership, we are still writing our story."

And so we are. 

I thank the 59 ministers and retired ministers from the Virginia Annual Conference who joined us for the 2017 Robert F. Boyd Institute on April 3-4 for "A Singular Jesus in a Pluralistic Culture" by Dr. Ben Witherington III. Dr. Witherington's spirited presentation about Jesus' singularity as revealed in the Gospel of John was engaging, enlightening, and utterly relevant as we move into Holy Week. We thank him, and you, for fitting us into your very busy schedules. See photos of the event here.

We hope to see many of you for our 2018 Robert F. Boyd Institute continuing education seminar. The dates and keynote speaker will be announced soon.

Until then, I wish you all a very blessed Holy Week and happy Easter.

Sincerely,
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. 
President 
Virginia Wesleyan College 
1584 Wesleyan Drive 
Norfolk, VA 23502

Phone: 757.455.3215 
Fax: 757.455.3139 
Email: sdmiller@vwc.edu